Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a known technique for treating pain. For example, SCS may be used in a pain management scheme to treat chronic intractable neuropathic pain, refractory angina pain, or peripheral vascular disease pain. SCS is also being investigated for cardiac applications, such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
Prior to implanting an SCS system, a patient may undergo a trial period during which the patient is implanted with a percutaneous lead that is routed from an external stimulation device, into the patient, and to the implant site. The external portion of the lead is made long enough (e.g., a few feet in length) to enable the patient to carry the external stimulation device in a purse or some other type of carrying bag or wear the external stimulation device attached to a belt.
The trial period typically lasts from several days to a month or so, depending on the various factors. During this trial period, there is a risk of infection, for example, at the point the lead enters the patient. In addition, use of the external stimulation device may prove troublesome to the patient due to the length of the external part of the lead. Thus, a need exists for improved techniques for providing a trial SCS system to a patient.